Salama® project A road map towards safer roads in the UAE NS –

All of us sitting in this room, today, reading these words have had road crashes or incidents. Some of us lost loved ones, others heard of the unfortunate loss of loved ones. We all feel sorry and sad…but that’s not enough, because today, all together we are gathered here because we have decided to take action !

Road traffic sometime make the headlines.. In Abu Dhabi, 9 people were killed and 92 injured in road crashes in the emirate during the Eid al Fitr holiday. Source: The National newspaper - October

But mostly it’s very rare..

But facts are there and facts are shocking!

74% of fatal injuries are due to road traffic in Abu Dhabi Source: HAAD death notifications, 2007

The UAE has an average death rate of 20 person / 100,000 population Source: Al Bayan newspaper –

The highest number of Fatal road traffic injuries is for an age bracket between 16 to 35 YO. Source: HAAD death notifications, 2007

Common effort and sense of social responsibility

Who we are.. The founding consortium of SALAMA® consists of: -the Emirates Foundation -Shell and the Emirates Driving Company with the support of the UAE Ministry of Interior and the Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD).

All together have decided to create

SALAMA® (the Arabic word for “safety”) is a public awareness initiative established to address the issue of road safety. Because Fatal road traffic crashes have reached alarming figures and have become the 2 nd highest cause of death in the United Arab Emirates.

Our aim To promote Road Safety through comprehensive and effective awareness campaigns - so as to create a safer environment on our roads for everyone in our community.

In a nutshell the strategy consists of covering not only the road safety highest risk factors (speed, seat belt etc..) but also a series of safety “check-lists” that will enable us reaching, with the use of awareness campaigns, a stage with fewer fatal casualties without forgetting the individual welfare. The strategical approach

Effectiveness through -Relevance of the approach with target groups Difference between nationalities Age group Gender and overall behavior -Single minded campaigns -Being out there to communicate with them -Avoiding tutorial approach to speak the same language

Share Information and Experience Shake them with Guilt and Shame

Educational manuals (handbook) Test drives Advertising campaigns Event and Conferences Presence in malls Visits to schools, universities, hospitals Volunteers

Drive Safe!